Heating system



Oct. 14, 1941. a. TAYLOR 2,259,012

HEATING SYSTEM Filed May 24, 1939 SSheets-Sheet 1 L5 W INVENTOR v 50mm74/101? BY I rvr i m hm ATTORNEYS Oct. 14, 1941. E. TAYLOR 2,259,012

HEATING SYSTEM Filed May 24, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I ATTORNEYS Oct. 14,1941. E, TAYLOR 2,259,012

HEATING SYSTEM I Filed May 24, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR EDW/A/7%)! 0/? ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 14, 1941 UNITED STTES HEATHIG SYSTEMEdwin Taylor, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor of twofifths to William F.Doyle, Summit, N. J.

Application May 24, 1939, Serial No. 275,464

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for theradiation of heat. More particularly the invention relates to aheatradiating system comprising a particularly effective generator forthe production of a heat-conveying fluid medium of any desiredtemperature and pressure by the substantially complete combustion of afluid fuel, and a heat-radiating system for the radiation of the heatcontained in said fluid medium and present partially in the form ofsensible heat and partially in the form of latent heat of vaporizationof at least one of the components of the .medium. In a particularlyadvantageous embodiment, the invention provides a method and means forthe production and discharge .to a heat-radiating system of aheat-conveying fluid medium at a rate automatically and responsivelyregulated by the amount of heat radiated from the system.

The hitherto suggested methods of heating and, particularly thecurrently successfully emplcyed methods, have involved the combustion ofa gaseous, liquid, or solid fuel in a fire-box or combustion zoneadjacent to but not in open communication with a boiler or equivalentconfined space containing a heat-conveying medium. For example, inhousehold heating systems, Whether they be air, hot water or steam, theair or water to be heated is present in or circulated through amechanism separate from the combustion zone. In spite of the fact thatsignal advances have been made in the art of heating, the eflicienciesof the systems employed, expressed in terms of the potential heatingpower of the fuel compared to the heat units actually radiated oravailable for the desired heating operation, have remained at arelatively low figure. Such prevailing low efficiencies are primarilyattributable to'two causes: first, current methods of combustioninvariably fall short of attainment of complete oxidation of the fuel,thus precluding from the outset the possibility of utilizing substantialproportions of the theoretically possible heatgenerating power of thefuel; and second, the transfer of heat from the hot products ofcombustion to the heat-conveying medium even under the most favorablecircumstances is limited, and as a result a large proportion of the heatdeveloped during the oxidation remains with the products of combustionand is passed to the atmosphere through a flue or stack.

In spite of extensive development Work on 7 methods of combustion, oiland gas burners produce substantial quantities of products of incompletecombustion, such as carbon monoxide and "carbonaceous sooty material.One method of minimizing the production of such incompletely oxidizedproducts has been to employ an excess of air in the combustion. Such anexpedient,

5 however, serves to produce a higher velocity of gaseous flow in thecombustion chamber and the hot. products of combustion areinheat-transfer relationship with the heat-conveying medium for ashorter period of time. As a result, in actual .practice it has usuallybeen necessary to effect "a compromise between the degree of combustionattained and the added proportion of heat lost through the use of suchexcess air. The use of combustion catalyzers variously disposed in com-15.,bustion zones for accelerating the oxidation has frequently beenproposed. The effectiveness of such substances as finely dividedplatinum and palladium, or metallic oxides such as copper, nickel, lead,cobalt, chromium, thorium and 20, uranium oxides, is well known. It isequally well "known, however, that few if any of such proposed methods,except in very special circumstances,

have been successful in avoiding the presence of the material in thecor'nbustionchambers and in the arrangement of the chambers themselves.

Although some of these arrangements andmethods represent substantialadvances in the art of combustion, they have failed to provide a methodfor completely burning a fluid fuel to produce a gaseous mixturesubstantially freeof products of incomplete combl'istion. v

Regardless of the extent to which complete combustion is achieved,however, the primary loss of heat in the methods employed in the heat-40 ing art today is to be found in the excessive amounts of heat, inmany household heating systems as high as 50% of the potential fueloutput, discharged to the atmosphere and frequently referred to broadlyas stack losses. Due primarily to practical limitations in transferringthe heat to the heat-conveying medium, the products of combustiondischarged will usually have a temperature ranging from 400 to 600 F.,thus introducing a very considerable loss in the form of sensible heat.There is an additional loss which is unavoidable where the products ofcombustion escape, as they do in most cases, at a temperature in excessof 212 F. Hydrogen, a constituent of most fuels, burns toform water 55which passes off with the other products of commates 8 to 10%. Becauseofthe fact'that a loss due to this cause has been considered inevitable.it has become the practice to refer to the heating value of an oil asthe value obtained after subtracting the heat to be lost through thisusually inevitable cause. heating value. containing 13.7% hydrogenhaving a heat content of 19,210 B. t. u. per pound.

This value is the lower For instance, a :eri :ain' fuel oil has beenratedas Theoretically this same fuel should release" 20,889 B. t. u., anincrease of nearly 9%. This latter value constitutes the higher heatingvalue of thefuel.

In an attemptto eliminate'the secondi of tha above discussdbauses ofinefficiency; it has been propose'dfto subjec-t'hot products ofcombustion to contact'with'waterfusuallyina packed tower, and topass't'he hot gases"ommingled "with steam to a heat r'adi'atirig system.'fIn such 'a process,

although' the rempratur'e cr j the hot gases is lowered to a moresuitable" Working temperature, the heat given'upln tl' ecooling is notlostlbut is transformedto l'atnt'heat of. vaporization; in

which form i aisep'a sesto the radiating system and is given up when thesteam: is condensed to j- M steam resulting from' thecombustionitselfiis also passedfto 'thejirfadiatingjsystentf Heatin systemsattempting to eliminate stackdosses I Furthermore,'th'heatcontaind inthe by the application of thejust'rlecited basic idea have failed inpractical operation, and have,

therefore, not achieved commercial significance.

The failure of the proposed,meth od's'has been due tosuclrfactorsilasdifficulty of control and maintenancelo n an automaticbasis andparticularly to their inability to effectcomplete combustion of thefuel. Incomple'tecombustion in such systems resultsinot only inloweflieiencies,' but also gives rise to circumstances making the process Hinoperative eitherittfrom mechanical temperatures is suitable'for use insuch a genera es 7 du ,tq n ss tr Safety. se eer; menqx de a 59 W? S m lr, e r ceous material are two particularly deleterious P d cts f psqmrle emb siien n both' of which are present-g in thecombustiongases of allof the referred to proposedime' thods with" which I am familiar. Thedanger ofpassing hot carbon monoxide through a radiating system isobvious. Soot very quickly clogs passageways and valves, preventingtheir continuedoperation.

Furthermore, the jcombustion gases usually contain unburnedhydrocarbonfueland this, when traversing a-packed tower at. high temperaturesthrough whiclrwater also passed, breaks up" atcr.

complete combustion of the fuel during the free expansion of themixture. The resulting hot gases, substantially free of products ofincomplete combustion, are subjected to contact with a volatile mediumto transform a substantial portion of their sensible heat to latent heatof vaporization, and the thus formed heat-conveying mixture isdischarged to a heat-radiating system.

In a preferredembodiment the invention comprehends a mechanismintermediate the means for generating the heat-conveying fluid mediumand the radiating system, capable of delivering said fluid medium to theradiating system in an amount and at a rate regulated by the amount ofheat discharged from the radiating system. This responsivelyregulatedmeans may also be adapted to control the generation of the heatconveyingmedium by supplying the combustionsupporting medium to the generator ata rate responsive to the amount of heat dissipated from theradiatingsystem; My invention thus provides a method and apparatus for producinga heat-conveying fluid medium containing substantially an of the heatunits'resulting from complete combustion of a fluid fuel, and forsupplying this heat-conveying medium'to a radiating system in responseto theheatdemeindo'f such a system.

. The generator unit of the heat-radiating system of my inventioncomprisesthe following elements. An injection means is suitably posi-'tioned for injecting "an intimate mixture of a fluid fuel and acombustion supporting medium,

f or example air, between a plurality of closely spaced, heated,combustion-catalyzing contact surfaces of refractory material at apressure in excess of the pressure in the "remainder of the system.These surfaces should be spaced'approximately 4; to inches apart, andmay advantageously have incorporated therein a combustion-catalyzingsubstance, such as for example an oxide of chromium or other appropriatemetal. The fluid fuel may 'be a gaseous or liquid fuel, and it is to beunderstood that the term' fluid fuel as used herein has such a connotation. Any liquid fuel capable of being burned and possessing a viscosityappropriate to permit pumping and atomization at reasonably low Of theappropriate liquid fuels, various petroleum products, ranging fromkerosene to heavy fuel oils are most suitable. As a result of thehighefficiency of oxidation achieved by such a generator, many gaseous aswell as liquid fuels which in the past have been of little or no commercial value may be completely burned therein to produce withsubstantially theoretical efiiciencics, a valuable heat-conveyingmedium.

- The catalytic contact surfaces should be so conto form a carbonaceousdeposit which completely In accordance with my invention an intimate tre of a flu f e anda ombu n-su rt med m is ni s t d'be vs a p ra of h aun el a an ed re ted su ace refractory material to permit the attainmentof stitutcd and arranged that their areas adjacent the point ofinjection of the fuelair mixture increase outwardly therefrom at a ratesubstantially in excess of a linear rate. By this novel arrangement thesaid areas, and also the space between the plates increase outwardlyfrom the point of injection at an even higher rate than the rapidlyexpanding heated fuel-air mixture. As a consequence there is no backpressure created by the inability of the products of combustion toescape from the combustion area, as is thecase in other methods ofcombustion, and there is little or no tendency for the completelyoxidized products to circulate in the said area to prevent unburned gasfrom coming in contact with the catalytic surfaces Where substantiallyall of the combustion occurs. The contact surfaces adjacent the point ofinjection may-com prise two substantially flat horizontal circularsurfaces through the upper of which extends the fuel injection means, asdescribed below in connection with the drawings attached hereto, or thesaid contact surfaces may comprise a plurality of superimposed coaxiallyaligned closely spaced substantially bell-shaped surfaces providing aplurality of substantially bell-shaped passages. In the latter type ofgenerator the tops of the bell-shaped surfaces, other than the innermostsurface, are provided with coaxially aligned openings preferably havingprogressively smaller diameters approaching the inner surface. A fuelairmixture is injected into the well formed by such openings and is equallydistributed to the passages between the contact surfaces whose areasadjacent said openings expand at a rate in excess of a linear rate.Various other arrangements of contact surfaces may be employed withinthe scope of the invention, provided they involve closely spacedsurfaces whose areas increase outwardly from the point of fuel injectionat a rate substantially in excess of a linear rate. The generatorfurther comprises means for cooling the products of combustion to anydesired operating temperature by transforming a portion of theirsensible heat to latent heat of vaporization by subjecting the hot gasesto contact with a volatile liquid such as water. This may beaccomplished by passing the hot gases from between the contact surfacesinto and through a volatile liquid, or by other means such as spraying avolatile liquid into or across the path of the hot gases. The mixture ofproducts of combustion and vaporized condensable liquid, together withany inert constituents of the combustion supporting medium, at atemperature substantially less than the combustiontemperature,'constitutes the heat-conveying medium supplied to theradiating system. Suitable generators for producing such aheat-conveying medium are described and claimed in my co-pendingapplication for Letters Patent Serial No. 275,462 filed of even dateherewith.

The heat-radiating system may be of any conventional type suitable foruse with a heating medium containing a vaporized condensable liquid. Itis in fact one of the advantages of the invention that an alreadyinstalled radiating system may be directly incorporated in the novelcoperative combination of elements of my invention without substantialalterations or change in capacity. It is to be understood that while'the heat-radiating systemis described and illustrated herein withrespect to its use in maintaining the temperature of a room, house orsimilar interior space within a desired range, the method and apparatusof the invention are equally effective in supplying heat for otherpurposes, such as for example the operation of a steam table or dryingoven.

The means for controlling the generation of the heat-conveying fluidmedium'responsively to the amount of heat radiated, i. e., the amounttransferred to the surrounding atmosphereor objects to be heated, inaccordance with my invention may comprise a simple and effective primemover mechanism which regulates the passage of the heat-conveying mediumto the radiating system and which concurrently supplies thecombustionsupporting medium to the injection means of-the generator at arate appropriate to satisfy the demand of the radiating system. Such aprime mover. mechanism inaddition to supplying a combustion medium tothe generator at an automaticaly controlled rate may be in'operative-relationship with pumping means for supplying the fluid fuelto the-injector means at an appropriate rate and for supplying thevolatile liquid to the generator at a rate appropriate to maintain thedesired temperature of the heat-conveying medium. A mechanism of thistype, hereinafter more fullydescribed, transfers the heat-conveyingmedium from the generator to the radiating system, as well as performingthe just mentioned functions with a minimum loss in the form of work.Such a. mechanism, in accordance with the embodiment toibe described, isin effect a slow-speed engine operated by virtue of the difference'inpressure between the generator outlet and the heating line, and notprimarily by the expansive force of the heating medium, as will beapparent from the fact that the gas-steam mixture is fed to the cylinderduring the entire piston stroke. The speed of such an engine need notexceed 160 R. P. M. The performance of the above mentioned functionsconstitutes a very small load on such a device.

A more complete understanding of the process and appara-tus of myinvention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings whichillustrate one: form of construction arrangement in accordance with myinvention.

In the drawings in which like reference numerals-designate similarparts: a

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the generating and transmission unitwhich is represented diagrammatically as attached to a heat-radiatingsystem. ,7

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the unit and radiating system as; shownin Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged axial section of the heating fluid generatortaken on the line 33 of Figure l, parts being broken away and partsbeing shown in elevation. v

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along the line 441Fig.2, and showing the prime mover means and air compressor portion of theunit shown in the lower parts of Figures 1 and 2, portions beingbroken'away and other portions shown in plan. v

' F gure 5 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 5-5 of Figure4, with the crank shaft displaced 90 from its position as shown inFigure 4,,parts beingbroken away and parts shown in elevation.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 6-6 of Figure 4,parts being broken away and parts shown in elevation.

Figure 7. is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation taken on theline !-1 of Figure 4.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an appropriate pedestal or base 8 supportsan enlarged prime mover cylinder 9 whose ends are partly closed byannular plates 10, connecting with which ar coaxially aligned aircompressor cylinders ll of reduced diameter. To the outer end of eachcompressor cylinder is attached an annular cap I? to each of which issecured a delivery valve housing 13 shown in detail in Figure 6. Fromthe valve housings I 3 lead delivery pipes l 4 which discharge into acommon air delivery pipe I5 supplying air under pressure to thegenerator. Midway of main cylinder 9,. as best shownin Figur e 4, arebearings I 6. for journaling a hollow horizontal drive-shaft throughwhich air may be -introduced into .the compression chambers.

This drive-shaft consists of axially spaced secplate 62;

tions llaandhllb, whose'inner opposingends are provided with crank armsections law and lab. Between the outer ends of these crank arm'sectionsis disposed a crank' pin l9, which in turn ispivotally connected withone end of a connecting rod 20. The opposite end of the connecting rodis pivotally connected to a wrist pin 2| carried by an air compressingpiston 22a, which reciprocates in the compression cylinder H to compressair admitted through themain horizontal drive-shaft structure, orthrough openings in the wall ofmain cylinder 9 positioned beyond thelimits of movement of pistons 23, for example peripherally spaced inalignment with main shaft l1. Enlarged oppositely faced pistons 23 whichare rigidly connected by connecting rods 24 reciprocate in the maincylinder 9 and are integrally connected with the smaller diameter aircompressor pistons 22a, and 22b,which-reciprocate in thesmaller terminalcylinders H in unison with the large pistons. Mounted on the outer endof shaft 7 Ila is a flywheel 25, inside of whichmay advantageously beplaced a power take-off pulley 26.

The heat-conveying fluid medium is produced ingenera-tor 21, shown inFigures-1 and 2, and in detailed axial section in Figur 3.- The fluidmedium passes through downcomer pipe 28 into manifold 29, provided-withan upwardly presented connection flange 30 for seating the downcomerpipe, which is inturn rigidly connected with generator 21. The fuel tobe burned is supplied to an appropriateinlet nozzle or atomizer 3|through fuel pipe 32. This may be accomplished by fuel pump 33, whichmay be run by power derived from take-off pulley 26. Air under pressurenters through pipe l5, and water is introduced through pipe 34. Theatomizer, here shown in elevation, may be of the type described andclaimed in my co-pending applicationserial No. 275,463,'and should beeffective in injecting a substantially fiat disc-like sheet of atomizedliquid fuel outwardly toward the periphery. of circular closely spacedcontact plates .35. These contact plates, containing a catalyticmaterial, and extensions thereof a forming .an-annular cylindricalspace, define a combustion zone in which complete combustion of the fueloccurs. The extensions 35a are immersed in a volatileliquid, preferablywater, in a manner such that the hot products of combustion will passthrough the water, being themselves substantially cooled andconcurrently volatilizing a portion of the water to form steam. The hotproducts of combustion pass through the ports 36, situated adjacent thebottom of one of the inner of two cup-shaped supports 6i and 62 for thecontact surfaces 35, into a central annular space-and together withsuperheated steam are removed from the generator through the down-comerpipe 28.

The flow of water into the system from suply tank. 41, throughpipe 34 iswith advantage automatically regulated by a thermostatic control valve31 which operates responsively to the temperature-of the water. in thebottom of the generator. The water maylwith advantage be introduced atthe top of the generator through annular space 63 and by holes in thebottom thereof to basin 64 formed by the top of support The wateroverflows through peripherally spaced notches and passes over thecylindrical portion of support 62. V of the water over this surface maybe improved by supplying a cylindrical mesh'screen 65. The introductionof the water in this manner serves The distribution the main cylinder 9.

to partially cool the hot combustion surfaces and effect a preheating ofthe water. There is indicatedin Figure 3 an ignition devic 38 which maybe of the hot wire type or of a jump spark type. A- particularlyefiicient form of ignition device is a circular hot wire extendingcircularly through the flat combustion zone defined by contact surface35 and intermediate the atomizing headand the periphery of the saidplates. The maximum permissible water level in the generator is governedby an overflow pipe 39 through which the escape of hot gases isprevented by means of a thermostatically acting valve 49.

The mixture of partially cooled products of combustion and steam fromthe generator is passed from manifold 29 into main prime mover cylinder9. After performing auxiliary functions as described below, it issubsequently forced into the heat-radiating system by the action of thmain pistons through outlet pipes 4|, which lead to a manifold supplypipe 42 from which radiators 43 disposed at suitable points to providethe desired degree of heating, may be supplied through connection pipesin accordance with conventional practice. The radiators are equippedwith Sylphon control valves 45 connected to return manifold 46 which inturn is connected with the water supply tank 41. Cut-off valves 44 ofstandard type serve to remove individual radiators from the system. Inthis way there is returned as water suitable for reuse the greater partof the steam produced in the generator, both by vaporizing the water andas a product of combustion. Return manifold 46 is also connected with apipe 48 which leads by means of a vent to the outer atmosphere. Throughthis vent at atmospheric pressure and substantially atmospherictemperature passes the noncondensable portion of the heat-conveyingfluid. This gas is composed primarily of carbon dioxide and nitrogen andsmall amounts of water vapor and oxygen. This noncondensable portion,due tothe complete combustion effected in the type of generator used inthe heating system of my invention, contains no obnoxious or dangerousproducts of incomplete combustion, and the disposition of the vent,therefore, involves little difficulty.

Referring now in greater detail to the portion of the'apparatusillustrated in Figures 4 to '7, which is effective in discharging thegas-steam mixture into the heat-radiating system at a rate responsivelyregulated by the amount of heat radiated, and in regulating the mixtureof fuel and air injected into thegenerator responsively to the amount ofgas-steam mixture discharged to the radiating system, it will be seenthat the inlets from the manifold 29, the outlet pipes 4|, the mainpistons 23 reciprocating in cylinder 9, and the smaller air compressionpistons 22a and 22b are so arranged as to bear an operative relationshipwith each other. Secured to the outer end of drive-shaft l'lb is a crankdisc 49 provided with a laterally presented pin 50. This pin, as shownin Figure 7, rotates in a bearing block 5|, which during the rotation ofthe main shaft Ila, l'lb reciprocates within a valve operating yoke 52.

Connected to yoke 52 and extending therefrom in a directionperpendicular to the axis of the main shaft IT are valve rods 53 whichare in turn connected to valve pistons 5 which reciprocate in chambers55 to control the alternate admission and exhaust of the heating fluidinto and from Each end 01 the manifold 29 opens into chambers 55 each ofwhich connects through a circular series of port openings 51 with valvecylinders 55. Midway of its length each cylinder 55 is provided withport openings 58 which communicate with a substantially annular chamber59 providing an inlet communication for the hot gases passing throughport openings and valve cylinder 55, through passage 60 into the maincylinder 9. In a similar manner the substantially annular chamber 59provides an exhaust communication through passage 60 and subsequentlycylinder 55 to connection pipe 4|. Referring now to Figure 6 inconnection with Figure 4, air is drawn into the inner portion of thepiston structure through hollow shaft I la by the displacement ofcompressor pistons 22. In the surface of each of piston heads 22 ismounted a cylindrical check valve housing 66, which is provided with afrusto-conical valve seat 61. Engaging this valve seat is an outwardlyopening check valve 68, carried by valve stem 69, suitably supported andmovable in the valve housing 66. The delivery valve I3 is provided withvalve, seat ll]v for a compressed air delivery valve H, which isprovided with a hollow stem slidable in a cylindrical guide under thebias of a compression spring, which tends to hold the valve against itsseat. From this description it will be understood that as compressorpiston 22a moves from left to right in Figure 4, valve 58 will openunder the bias of the spring on valve stem 69, valve ll being held toits seat by the pressure of its spring. Air is thus permitted to enterthe air compressor cylinder between the said valves, and as thecompressor piston begins its return movement. the check valve 58 willclose, the trapped air being thereupon compressed and forced outwardlypast valve H, which opens when the desired pressure, determined by theattached spring, has been reached. This compressed air passes intodelivery pipe 14 and thence to the air inlet of the atomizer 3|.

From the above description it will be understood that in an apparatus ofthe type illustrated, it is possible to generate the maximum possibleamount of heat from a given quantity of fluid fuel at its higherheating" value, to convey substantially all of the thus produced heat toa desired point, and to automatically control and regulate both thegeneration of the heating medium and its transferto the radiatingsystem. The proper functioning of such a combined operation dependsprimarily on the maintenance of small pressure differentials between thevarious parts of the system. Thus if a pressure of 3 lbs. is maintainedin the radiating system, 5 lbs. pressure will be sufficient to activatethe prime mover mechanism, and the fuel and air may be supplied to theatomizer at a pressure approximating '7 lbs. to water as its heat isradiated causes a corresponding continuous reduction in pressure, whichis compensated for by the admission of additional fluid medium. Adecreased condensation is accompanied by the creation of a back pressurein the prime mover, thereby decreasing its speed and in turn cuttingdown on the gas-steam mixture produced by the generator. A greater heatdischarge on the other hand Will tend to increase the pressuredifferential between the line and the generator, causing the prime moverto run faster in order to maintain an equilibrium. Such a changeconcurrently compresses more air and produces additional gas-steammixture. The effective areas of the piston surfaces are so pro- Thesteam being continuously condensed portioned that a volume of gas-steammixture suitable to fill the cylinder with each'stroke, and to supplyair to the atomizer at a pressure 1%; to 2' lbsJin excess of that in thegenerator. 'I have found that a ratio of effective piston areasapproximating 2.71:1 will accomplish this result. It will thus be seenthat the prime mover mechanism and associated valve cut-off meansoperate to supply gas-steam mixture to connecting pipes 4| withoutinvolving any substantial expansion of the fluid medium within thecylinders, and that the operation of the entire assembly is governed bythe heat demand on the radiating system.

The temperature of the gas-steam mixture discharged to the radiatingsystem may have any desired value in excess of about 212 F. I have foundthat temperatures within the range 250. to 350 F. are in generalsatisfactory, although higher temperatures may with advantage beemployed under some conditions. The temperature of the gas-steam mixtureis controlled by the rate of admission of water to the generator, and itis an important feature of the invention that any desired temperaturemay be produced without entailing a corresponding change in the pressureof the system.

The water which is condensed in the radiating system and returned to thegenerator comprises both the original water added to the generator andthat produced by the combustion of the fuel. The water so produced is inmost cases sufficient to counteract the moisture carried to theatmosphere with the cooled gases through the vent, and as a result thesystem is capable of operating for extended periods, of time without theaddition of added water.

The present method of heating, as distinguished from other methods, doesnot require any substantial excess of air during combustion, an excessof about 10% being ample to attain complete combustion. However, ifexcess quantities are employed, there is no increased loss in heatefliciencies due to the fact that the heat units carried by the excessair are all delivered to the radiating system.

In operating a household heating system of the type here described anydesired temperature may be maintained in each of a plurality of rooms bysupplying each individual radiator with a Sylphon valve of standard typewhich is operative to reduce the amount of heat supplied to the radiatorand the amount of Water returned to the reserve tank. When the amount ofheat radiated to the surrounding atmosphere is substantially lessened orwhen radiators are completely shut off, the piston mechanism willoperate more slowly. When the heat demand on the system, determined bythe settings of the referred to valves, is greatly decreased, the primemover mechanism and generator will stop, but may be started again by anauxiliary thermostatic control system such as is now in common use. Inresponse to the action of such a system, fuel and air will be suppliedto the generator and ignited, after which the generator and dischargemeans operate responsively to the amount of heat radiated. A completeheating installation adapted to operate in this manner may involvevarious additional automatic control features. For example an auxiliaryair tank supplied with a suitable valve may be attached to store airunder pressure for starting the generator and continuing its operationfor the few seconds necessary until the air compressor is functioning.Alternatively a small air compressor operated by a battery driven motormay be used for this purpose.

I claim:

1; An "apparatus for "producing and-radiating heat by the combustion'ofa fluid fuel which comprisesa generator having a plurality of' closelyspaced combustion-catalyzing contact surfaces of refractory materialdefining a combustionzone, associated means for intimately mixing thefluid fuel with a combustion supporting mediumand for injecting themixture intermediate the contact surfaces, the areas of said surfacesadjacent the point of injection of the fuelmixtureincreasing outwardlytherefrom ata rate'substantially in excess of a linearrate, saidgenerator'further having means for transforming a part of the sensibleheat of saidproducts of'combustion into latent heat whereby aheat-conveying fluid 'medium is produced, a'heat radiatingsystem'connected to' the outlet of said generator by'aprime mover means,said prime mover meanscompris ing a chamber and a double faced pistonmovable "within the 'chamber and adapted to be driven from both endsof'the chamber by'substantially all of the'heat-conveying'fluid mediumin passing from the generator to the heat-radiatingsystefrf, and meansassociated with the prime mover means for compressing thecombustion-supporting medium and supplying it to the mixing andinjection means of the generator.

2. An apparatus for producing'and'radiatir ig heat'by the combustion ofa fluid fuel which'comprises a generator having'a -plurality of "closelyspaced combustion-catalyzing'contact surfaces of refractory materialdefining a combustion zone, associated means for intimately mixing. thefluid fuel with a combustion-supportingmedium and for injecting themixture intermediate the contact surfaces, the areas of said surfacesadjacent the point of injection of the fuel'mixture increasing outwardlytherefrom at a rate substantially in excess of a linear rate, saidgenerator further having means for transforming a' part of the sensibleheat of said products of combustion into latent heat whereby aheat-conveying fluid me; dium is produced, a heat-radiating system connected to the outlet of said generator by a'prime mover means, saidprime mover means comprising a chamber and a double faced piston movablewithin the chamber and adapted to be driven from both ends of thechamber by substantially all of the heat-conveying fluid medium inpassing from the generator to the heat-radiating system, meansassociated with the prime mover means for compressing thecombustion-supporting medium and supplying it to the mixing andinjection means of the generator, and means associated with the primemover means for supplying the fluid fuel to the injection means of thegenerator.

3. An apparatus for producing andradiating heat by the combustion of afluid fuel which com prises a generator having a plurality of closelyspaced combustion-catalyzing contact surfaces of refractory materialdefining a combustion zone, associated means for intimately mixing thefluid fuel with a combustion-supporting medium and for injecting themixture'intermediate thecontact surfaces, the areas of said surfacesadjacent the point of injection of the fuel mixture increasing outwardlytherefrom at a rate substantially in excess of a linear rate, saidgenerator further having means for transforming a part of the sensibleheat of said products of combustion into latent heat whereby aheat-conveying fluid medium is produced, a heat-radiating systemconnected to the outlet of said generator by'a prime mover means,-saidprime mover means comprising a cylindrical chamber having a c'ommonintake and exhaust port'near each end'thereof, and a double headedpiston movable within the chamber adapted to be driven by substantiallyall of the heat-conveying fluid medium introduced from thegeneratoralternately through-each ofsaid ports; and-adapted to'discharge the fluid mediumfrom the chamber to the-radiating systemthrough the same port on the return stroke, and

' means associated-with'the prime mover means for compressingthecombustion-supporting medium and supplying it to-the mixing andinjection means of the generator.

4: An apparatus for producing and radiating heat by thecombustion of afluid fuel which comprises a generator having a plurality of closelyspaced combustion-catalyzing" contact surfaces of refractory materialdefining a combustion zone; associated means for intimately mixing thefluid'fuel with a combustion-supporting medium and for injecting-themixture intermediate the contact surfaces, the-areas of said surfacesadjacent the point of injection of the fuel mixture increasing outwardlytherefrom at'a rate-substantially in excess ofa-linear rate; saidgenerator-furtherhaving means for transforming a part ofthe sensibleheat of said products of combustion into latentheat whereby aheat-conveying fluid medium is produced, a

heat-radiating system connected to the outlet of said generator by aprimemover'means, said prime mover means comprising a chamber and 'adouble faced piston movable within the chamber and adapted to be drivenfrom both ends of the chamber by substantially all of the heat-'conveying fluid medium inpassing from the generator totheheat-radiatingsystem, and compression means for supplying' the "combustionsupportingmedium to theinjectionmeans of the generatorcomprising chambers"positioned terminally of the prime mover chamber'having substantiallysmaller diameters than said chamheat by the combustion of a'fluid-fuehwhich comprises a generatorhaving a plurality of closelyspaced "combustioncatalyzing contact surfaces of refractory materialdefining a combustion zone,"ass'ociated means for intimately mixing the'fluid 'fuel with a"'combustion-supporting medium andfor'injecting'themixture intermediate the 'c'ontact surfaces,'the areasof said surfaces adjacentthe point of injection of the fuelmixture'increasing outwardly therefrom at'a rate'substantially in'excess of a linear'rate, said generator furtherhaving mean's fortransforming apart 'o'f th'esensibleheat of said products'ofcombustiondnto latentheat whereby a heat-conveying fluid" medium isproduced, a heat-radiating system connected to the outlet of saidgenerator by aprimemov'er means, said I prime mover means comprising acylindrical chamber having a common'in'take and exhaust i port neareachend-thereof, and'a doubleheaded piston movable-within the "chamber:adapted to bedi'iven by substantially all of' the heat con 'veying fluidmedium introduced from the generator alternately-through 'each of'saidports, and adapted 'todischarge the? fluid medium" from the chamber tothe iradiating system through the same'port on the return stroke,compression means for supplying the combustion-supporting medium to theinjection means of the generator comprising chambers positionedterminally of the prime mover chamber having substantially smallerdiameters than said chamber and coaxially aligned therewith, and pistonsmovable in the said terminal chambers, attached respectively to each endof the double piston, a drive shaft journalled in the cylinder wall ofthe prime mover chamber midway of its length, and a connecting rodconnecting said drive shaft with one of the compressor pistons.

6. An apparatus for producing and radiating heat by the combustion of afluid fuel which comprises a generator having a plurality of closelyspaced combustion-catalyzing contact surfaces of refractory materialdefining a combustion zone, associated means for intimately mixing thefluid fuel with a combustion-supporting medium and for injecting themixture intermediate the contact surfaces, the areas of said surfacesadjacent the point of injection of the fuel mixture increasing outwardlytherefrom at a rate substantially in excess of a linear rate, saidgenerator further having means for transforming a part of the sensibleheat of said products of combustion into latent heat wherebyaheat-conveying fluid medium is produced, a heat-radiating systemconnected to the outlet of said generator by a prime mover-compressionmeans, said prime mover-compression means comprising axially spacedcompressor cylinders separated by a prime mover cylinder ofsubstantially larger diameter coaxial therewith, two rigidly joinedaxially spaced oppositely faced piston members, each having a primemover portion movable in the prime mover cylinder and a compressorportion movable in the adjoining compression cylinder, said prime movercylinder having a common intake and exhaust port near each end thereofadapted to deliver substantially all of the fluid medium from the outletof said generator thereto to drive the rigidly joined piston members inunison and adapted to deliver the fluid medium from the cylinder to theheat-radiating system on the return stroke of the piston, and a hollowdrive shaft comprising axially spaced sections journalled in opposingmidlength positions in the wall of the prime mover cylinder withcrank-arm sections attached to each of the shaft sections andconnectedby a crank pin, the drive shaft being connected with one of thecompressor pistons by means of a connecting rod attached to the saidcrank pin and to a wrist pin associated with said compressor piston.

7. An apparatus for producing and radiating heat by the combustion of afluid fuel which comprises a generator having a plurality of closelyspaced combustion-catalyzing contact surfaces of refractory materialdefining a combustion zone, associated means for intimately mixing thefluid fuel with a combustion-supporting medium and for injecting themixture intermediate the contact surfaces, the areas of said surfacesadjacent the point of injection of the fuel mixture increasing outwardlytherefrom at a rate substantially in excess of a linear rate, saidgenerator further having means for introducing a volatile liquid thereinin a regulated quantity and for subjecting the hot products ofcombustion to contact therewith whereby a heat-conveying fluid medium isproduced, a heat-radiating system connected to the outlet of saidgenerator by a prime mover means, said prime mover means comprising achamber and a double faced piston movable within the chamber and adaptedto be driven from both ends of the chamber by substantially all of theheat-conveying fluid medium in passing from the generator to theheat-radiating system, means associated with the prime mover means forcompressing the combustion-supporting medium and supplying it to themixing and injection means of the generator, and means associated withthe prime mover means for supplying the volatile liquid to the liquidintroduction means of the generator.

8. An apparatus for producing and radiating heat by the combustion of afluid fuel which comprises a generator having a plurality of closelyspaced combustion-catalyzing contact surfaces of refractory materialdefining a combustion zone, associated means for intimately mixing thefluid fuel with a combustion-supporting medium and for injecting themixture intermediate the contact surfaces, the areas of said surfacesadjacent the point of injection of the fuel mixture increasing outwardlytherefrom at a rate substantially in excess of a linear rate, saidgenerator further having means for introducing a volatile liquid thereinin a regulated quantity and for subjecting the hot products ofcombustion to contact therewith whereby a heat conveying fluid medium isproduced, a heat-radiating system connected to the outlet of saidgenerator by a prime mover means, said prime mover means comprising achamber and a double faced piston movable within the chamber and adaptedto be driven from both ends of the chamber by substantially all of theheat-conveying fluid medium in passing from the generator to theheatradiating system, means associated with the prime mover means forcompressing the combustion-supporting medium and supplying it to themixing and injection means of the generator, means associated with theprime mover means for supplying the volatile liquid to the liquidintroduction means of the generator, and means associated with the primemover means for supplying the fluid fuel to the injector means of thegenerator.

9. An apparatus for producing and radiating heat by the combustion of afluid fuel which comprises a generator having a plurality of closelyspaced combustion-catalyzing contact surfaces of refractory materialdefining a combustion zone, means for injecting an intimate mixture ofthe fluid fuel and a combustion-supporting medium intermediate thecontact surfaces, the areas of said surfaces adjacent the point ofinjection of the fuel mixture increasing outwardly therefrom at a ratesubstantially in excess of a linear rate, said generator further havingmeans for transforming a part of the sensible heat of said products ofcombustion into latent heat whereby a heat-conveying fluid medium isproduced, a heat-radiating system connected to the outlet of saidgenerator by a double-acting prime mover means operative to dischargesubstantially all of the heat-conveying fluid medium to the radiatingsystem at a rate responsive to the amount of heat radiated from the saidsystem, and compression means operatively associated with said primemover means for supplying the combustion-supporting medium to theinjection means at a rate and under a pressure responsive to the amountof heat radiated from said radiating system.

EDWIN TAYLOR.

